Olympics-IOC must lead in protecting women's sport, says presidential hopeful Samaranch

BERLIN (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee must take a leadership role on the participation of transgender athletes to protect women's sport, IOC presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch said on Tuesday.

The 65-year-old Samaranch, an IOC vice-president, is one of seven candidates, campaigning to replace outgoing president Thomas Bach in elections on March 20.

"The world is expecting from the IOC ... the leadership in the sports world," Samaranch told a media roundtable when asked about transgender athletes and their participation in sports.

"I will make sure that it will be the IOC to lead across the board the decision (on) how women's sport will be kept safe and fair.

"We will do it immediately and based on scientific evidence that is abundant," he said.

The IOC has so far staunchly refused to apply any universal rule. Instead, in 2021, it instructed international federations to each come up with their own rules for their sport.

Some sports, including athletics, swimming and rugby, have done so, but many have yet to finalise a policy on the issue.

Transgender athletes are allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.

However, United States President Donald Trump, whose country will host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, in February issued an order to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports.

The order directed the Department of Justice to assure that U.S. government agencies enforce a ban on transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports under Trump's interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.

Trump also said he would not allow transgender athletes to compete at the LA28 Olympics and urged the IOC to "change everything to do with the Olympics and this absolutely ridiculous subject".

"Trump himself announced in his inauguration that one of the three most important things of his presidency will be the Olympic Games of Los Angeles," Samaranch said.

"I am sure having the opportunity to impress the world in Los Angeles is an opportunity the American people and different administrations are not going to let pass."

Samaranch is running for the IOC presidency along with World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, multiple Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry, who is Zimbabwe's sports minister, and International cycling chief David Lappartient.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe and Olympic newcomer and multimillionaire Johan Eliasch, who heads the International Ski Federation, complete the list of candidates.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)